Draft-rigging for cars.



No. 628,231. Patented July 4, 1899. n. c. wlLLlAMsoN a H. PmEs.

DRAFT RIGGING FUR CARS.

` (Application led Feb. 23, 1899.) fNo Model- 2 sheets-snee@ E? gy/4%@ghe/W ynAH'or'ney:

l Pate'nted'luly 4, |899. H. C. WILLIAMSON &. H. PHIES.

DRAFT RIGGING FOR GARS.V

(Application ilod Feb. 23. 1899.) No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2` Wnesses:

WMU/J UNITED STATES PATENT OEEICE.

HENRY C. WILLIAMSON AND HERMAN IRIES, OF MICHIGAN CITY, INDIANA.

DRAFT-RIGGING FOR CARS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 628,237, dated July 4,`1899.

Application fled February 23, 1899. `Serial No. 706,503. (No model.)

To all wltom, it may concern:

Be it known that we, HENRY C. WILLIAM- soN and HERMAN Pains, citizens ofthe United States of America, and residents of Michigan City, county ofLa Porte, and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Draft-Rigging for Cars, of which the following is aspecification and which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings,forming a part thereof.`

This invention relates to draft-rigging especially adapted for use inconnection with freight-cars and of the type in which a plurality ofsprings are employed for com municating strain to the draft-beams; andits objects are to secure simplicity and economy of construction,together with great strength and durability. These objects are attainedin the construction hereinafter described and which is fully illustratedin the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a detail centralvertical section of a car-body, taken on the line l l of Fig. 2. Fig. 2is a detail section on the line 2 2 passing through Figs. l and 3. Fig.3 is a vertical section on the line 3 3 of Fig. l. Fig. I is a verticalsection on the line 4 4 of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a perspective of thethrust-loops employed in transmitting pressure from the outer bar to thesprings, the springs being in place therein, and Figs. 6 to 17 areperspectives of the various elements forming the componentparts of thedraft-rigging.

We show in the drawings at A, a draw-bar of ordinary construction; at BB, a pair of draft-beams, between which the draw-bar is located; at C, aloop attached to the inner end of the draw-bar and serving as the meansfor communicating the draft from the drawbar to the parts engaging thedraft-beams; at

l D, a metal brace-plate for securing the draftbeams B B together andbeing located back of the inner end of the loop C and having lateralflanges at its ends, by means of which it is bolted to the draft-beams,and at d a block interposed between the draft-beams and reinforcing thebrace-plate D.

shown at E E and in cross-section are substantially Z-shaped, having afoot-liangc e',

extending outwardly upon the lower face of the draf t-beam, and a topflan ge e2, projecting inwardly, these Hanges contributing to thestrength and general utility of the plates. These platesare exactlyalike, so that the description of one is sufficient. The plate has neareach of its ends a laterally-offset.

portion e e, adapted to enter suitable recesses in the draft-beam, theseoffsets, and consequently the recesses for receiving them, having abruptends, so that strain applied to the plate in either longitudinaldirection will be transmitted to the beam. The offsets e e form therecesses within which the front and rear followers F G reciprocate, andthe inner faces of the ends of these offsets are abrupt, so as to aordsuitable bearing-contacts for the followers. lAt each end of the odsetse e stock is provided, through which bolt-holes 7L are made for theaccommodation of the bolts h' for securing the plates I-I across thebottoms ofthe recesses of the draft-plates,which plates form supportsfor the followers F Gr, and hence for the inner end of thedraft-rigging. Intermediate of the offset e e the draft-plate E isprovided with instanding countersunk integral thiinbles K for theaccommodation of the bolts k, by means of which the draft-plates aresecured to the draft-beams. y At each end the draft-plate E is prolongeda little beyond the offset e, and these projecting lips m serve asfurther means of attachment for the draftplates to the beams, beingsecured under the plates bolted to the beams. v At the rearward end ofthe draft-plate this is accomplished by means of the lateral iiange ofthe brace-plate D, the ledge of which bears against a shoulder .forminga part, of theoffset e, so that the thrust strain and the strain ofimpact due to shunting are in part transmitted by means of the plate Dto the reinforcing-block d.' The forward end of the draft-plate is4secured by means of a plate M crossing the face of the draft-beam andbeing secured thereto by bolts, as shown. The end abutments of thedraft-plates E, which form bearings for the followers F G, may beextended a short distance beyond the plane ofthe face of the draft-beam,forming a more extended bearing for the followers.

Normally the forward follower Fis in con- IOO tact with the end of thebar A and with thc forward abutments of the draft-plates, and therearward follower G is in contact with the cross member of the loop Cand with the rearward abutments of the draft-plates. A pair ofinterlinked U-shaped loops O P is interposed between the two followers,the cross members of these two loops being normally in contact, the endsof their side members bearing against the followers. A pair of spiralsprings S s, the latter inserted within the former, is interposedbetween the follower F and the cross member of the rearward thrustloopP, and a similar pair ofsprings S s' is interposed between the followerG and the cross member of the forward thrust-loop O. rlhe thrust-loops OP are preferably identical in form in every particular. The inner facesof their side members are concave, the curvature extendingthrough an arcof ninety degrees and conforming to the curvature of the periphery ofthe outer springs S S. At each edge of each of the side members thereare provided radially-disposed iianges o 2J, and when the two members OP are interlinked, as shown in Fig. 5, the fianges 0 of the one are insliding contact with the flanges 1J of the other. Brace-plates o'p, ofthe same configuration and size in cross-section as the side members ofthe thrust-loops O P, may be bolted to these side members near theirends in order to secure added strength, these plates being attached, ofcourse, after the thrustloops have been interlinked.

The two ends of the draft-plates E being alike and the two plates beingidentical in form, it will be seen that the assembling of the device isgreatly simplified, as the plates are interchangeable. The uniformi tyof construction of the two thru st-loo ps also con-tributes to thesimplicity of the device.

Forward draft upon the barAis transmitted through the loop C andcommunicated to the draft-beams by the follower F, both sets of springsbeing compressed, the rearward springs S s' between the follower G andthe cross member of the forward loop O and the forward set of springs Ss being compressed between the cross member of the rearward thrust-loopP and the follower F. In thrust pressure is communicated to thedraft-beams through the follower G, the pressure of the bar A beingdirectly upon the follower F, the forward set of springs S s beingcompressed between this follower and the cross member of the rearwardthrust-loop P and the rearward set of springs S s being compressedbetween the cross member of the forward thrustloop O and the follower G.The transmission of pressure to and from both sets of springs being bymeans of the thrust-loops,which are external thereto, the diameter ofthe coils may be smaller than when a stem is employed, which is locatedon the axis of the springs, and hence the springs may be lighter thanwhen larger coils are used without sacrificing stiffness.

The brace-plates o p serve the further purpose of stops to limit-themovement of the draw-bar in either direction, so as to prevent theoverloading or excessive compression of the springs. Draft strain uponthe drawbar results in forward movement of the thrustloop P, thethrust-loopA O remaining stationary. It will be seen that when in itsforward movement the loop P comes into contact with the plates o it willbe etfectually stopped thereby. In the case vof an inthrust the loop Premains stationary, and the loop O maybe moved inwardly until it strikesthe braceplates p', which arrest its forward movement.

While we have shown a loop projecting backwardly from the draw-bar andserving as means for communicating forward draft to the car, we do notdesire to be limited to this form of construction, as any other meansfor applying` the forward strain to the rearward end of the cushioningand transmitting mechanism will come within the scope of our invention.

We claim 'as our invention- 1. In a draft-rigging for cars, thecombination with a pair of draft-beams having abutments, a draw-barlocated between the beams, a loop projecting from the inner end of thedraw-bar, a follower set through the loop adjacent to the draw-bar, anda second follower set through the loop adjacent to its cross member,such followers engaging the abutments, of a pair of interlinked U-shaped thrust-loops interposed between the followers, and a springlocated between the side members of each of the thrust-loops andreacting betwcen one of the followers and the cross member of the otherthrust-loop.

2. In a draft-rigging for cars, the combination with a pair ofdraft-beams, a draft-plate secured to each beam and having abutments anda backwardly-projectinglip without boltholes, of a brace-plate havinglateral anges bolted to the beams, such flanges overlapping and clampingthe backwardly-projecting lips of the draft-plates.

3. In a draft-rigging for cars, the combination with a draw-bal', anextension-loop at the inner end of the bar, and a follower within and ateach end of the loop, a pair of interlinked thrust-loops interposedbetween the followers, such thrust-loops having interlocking radialguide-fianges adapted for mutual sliding engagement, and acushioning-spring located wit-hin each thrust-loop and reacting betweenone of the followers and the cross member of the interlinked loop.

4. In a draft-riggingfor cars, in combination, a pair of draft-beamshaving front and rear abutments, a draw-bar having an eX- tension-loopatits inner end, a pair of followers located within the loop and atopposite ends thereof and engaging respectively the front and rearabutments, a pair of interlinked thrust-loops interposed between thefollowers,cushioni11g-springs located between the side members of eachof the thrust-loops IOO IIO

and each reacting betweenone of the followers and the cross member ofthe loop inclosing the otherspring, and cross-plates joining the sidemembers of the thrust-loops, such plate on each loop limiting themovement of the other loop.

5. In a draft-rigging for cars, the combination with a draw-bar and itsdraft-loop, of followers adapted to 'engage abutmentssecured to a-carand cooperating respectively with the draft-bar and draft-loop, of apair of interlinked U-shaped thrust-loops interposed between thefollowers, and springs interposed between each of the followers and thecross vmember of the more remote tlirustloop.

6. In a draft-rigging, irl-combination, a draw-bar,springs arranged intandem,a pair of interlinked U'shaped thrust-loops inclosing the springsand having their cross membersv interposed therebetween, a followerabutting against the outer end o f each thrust-loop and being adapted toengage abutments secured to a car, the forward follower being adapted toreceive the inthrust of the draw-bar, and

means for com municating forward draft from the draw-bar to the rearwardfollower.

7. In a draft-rigging, in combination, la draw-bar, a pair of followers,a tailpiece for the draw-bar for applying draft to the rearwardfollower, a pair of interchangeable interlinked thrust-loopsinterposedbetween the followers', and a cushioning-spring inclosed within eachthrust-loop.

S. In a draft rigging, in combination, a draw-bar, a pair of followers,a iailpiece for the draw-bar for applying 'draft to the rearwardfollower, a pair of interlinked U -shaped thrust-loops identical inform, interposed between the followers, and a cushioning-spring inclosedwithin each thrust-loop.

9. In a draft-rigging, in combination, a draw-bar, apair of followers, atailpiece for the draw-bar for applying draft to the rearwardfollower, apair of interchangeable in- .terlinked thrust-loops interposed betweenthe followers,such thrust-loops having mutuallyengaging radialguide-fianges at the edges of their longitudinal members, and acushionring-spring inclosed within each thrust-loop.

l0. As an article of manufacture, a U- shaped loop for draft-rigging,having the inner faces of its side members concave, and havingradially-projecting guide-flanges at the edges of such members.

11. As an article of manufacture, av U- shaped loop fordraft-rigging,having radiallyprojecting guide-anges at the edges of itsmembers.

HENRY C. WILLIAMSON. HERMAN PRIES. Witnesses:

Y SAMUEL J. TAYLOR,

LEROY D. HAMRioK.

longitudinal

